$PMCB Daily - PharmaCyte Biotech’s #Cannabinoid Research Program | In May 2014 PharmaCyte Biotech entered into a research agreement with the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) to perform initial research that will be necessary for the development of cannabinoid-based treatments for serious cancers. The UNC is working to identify a cell type that is capable of converting cannabinoid-like prodrugs into their cancer-killing forms. Once a satisfactory cell type is identified, the cells will be encapsulated using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology for use in combination with one or more cannabinoid prodrugs.If a suitable cell type cannot be identified, efforts will be undertaken by Austrianova to produce the appropriate cell type by gene transfection. This strategy is similar to that used in PharmaCyte’s pancreatic cancer treatment where the cells capable of converting the cancer prodrug ifosfamide into its cancer-killing form were developed by gene transfection and then encapsulated using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology.